Captain J. W. Robinson's narrative of a sealing voyage to Heard Island, 1858–60

• Published in: Polar Record
• Main Author: Crowther, W. E. L. H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1970
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Ecology; Geography, Planning and Development; Heard Island; Elephant Seal; Mirounga leonina; Polar Record
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247400061076; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247400061076

[Captain James W. Robinson was born in April 1824, the son of George William Robinson, a member of the crew of the US whaler General Gates that touched at Hobartown van Diemens Land in 1819, and who left the ship and remained to settle in the colony. He began his schooling in Hobart but, in 1836, was sent to continue his education among.relatives in Providence, Rhode Island. On return to Hobart, he took up whaling and soon became one of the outstanding seamen of the port. He (and after him his son, Alfred) commanded ships of my grandfather's fleet of whalers, which included Offley . In 1858–59, Captain Robinson joined in the rush of sealing voyages to Heard Island that followed first news of the great herds there of Elephant Seal Mirounga leonina , the oil of which then commanded a high price. Robinson's voyage was difficult and dangerous; it ended in tragedy, financial loss and litigation.